Q&A Home > I > Intercession How do I defend my Church's doctrine concerning the Intersession of Saints before those good, non Orthodox Christian friends, who claim that it is a form of idol worship, not biblically supported, nor practiced by any of the apostles and above all against the commandment that says "you shall have no other God" but Him? Your friends may be confusing the honor and respect we have for our beloved saints with what may appear to him as worship. We worship only God. We use biblical, traditional doctrine that guides us in the acknowledgment and veneration of the saints. The Old and New Testaments provide examples of the power of the intercessions of saints. The first of our Savior's miracles, the Wedding at Cana in Galilee, was through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, Saint Mary. She did not even have to request, but with amazing love and confidence, she reported the problem and expected a result. Here are a few biblical references:"So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet" (2 Kings 13:21).
"You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints" (Psalm 97:10).
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Psalms 116:15).
"But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her" (Luke 4:38,39).
"And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine'...This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him" (John 2:3-11).
"And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed" (Acts 5:14-16).
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). For more references about this topic please read "Comparative Theology" by HH Pope Shenouda III.
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